Read Lips

[glass]

Many people have complained that 3e had too many skills and many of them should be folded into one.

I know that, hence 'I see comments like that a lot'. I just don't understand why.

D&D's skill list is already pretty small; I don't see that much diference in terms of handling time or whatever, having one or two skills fewer (or more) skills, but there are certainly differences in terms of character differentiation.


glass.

 

[Vorput]

but that goes with everything. just becuse im hot, doesent mean magical devices should be easyer to use.

::chuckles::

 

[Krelios]

I know that, hence 'I see comments like that a lot'. I just don't understand why.

D&D's skill list is already pretty small; I don't see that much diference in terms of handling time or whatever, having one or two skills fewer (or more) skills, but there are certainly differences in terms of character differentiation.

There are still too many skills for the few skill points most characters get. More skill points could help, but the entire skill system in 3e still needs a lot of work to be on par with other modern RPGs (though it's a world better than 2e).

 

[SorvahrSpahr]

it can be a pain to give ranks with a fighter if you get a low score on int. but i think that the rank-number of skills is good. I just think they should've left a few skills like read lips here. someone who is very wise doesn't have to know how to read lips. the same way, someone less wise, could know it. it's not a hard problem

 

[mosaic]

IMC 'Decipher Script' is just called Decipher and works for unknown text, symbols, code and also unknown spoken languages. It serves as a general linguisinc gisting skill. For reading lips, players first make a Spot check to see the lips and then a Decipher check to figure out what they are saying.

 

[VoidDragon]

IMC I folded Climb, Jump and Swim into an "Athletics" skill. This is because I have never had a player choose any of these. Ever. It's a weak reason to justify an "Athletics" skill, but I was wondering if anyone else ran into the same problem as me.

 

[Corsair]

IMC I folded Climb, Jump and Swim into an "Athletics" skill. This is because I have never had a player choose any of these. Ever. It's a weak reason to justify an "Athletics" skill, but I was wondering if anyone else ran into the same problem as me.

This is VERY common in non-DnD d20 games. Ditto combining balance and tumble into "acrobatics".


Mine you a lot of them add skills too... drive, pilot, computer use are all common in modern/sci-fi games (like Mutants and Masterminds, Star Wars, Babylon 5, etc). This is generally made up for by having the minimum skills per level 4 in games like SW and B5.

 

[SorvahrSpahr]

well, I think that there are enough skill points for the number of skills. Even with all of that, I can't manage to get our freakin' sorcerer, the little bastard alway manages to overcome my dcs, and if I raise them a little, it will make it almost impossible for the other PCs to get over them

 

[Greg K]

IMC I folded Climb, Jump and Swim into an "Athletics" skill. This is because I have never had a player choose any of these. Ever. It's a weak reason to justify an "Athletics" skill, but I was wondering if anyone else ran into the same problem as me.

I never have had the problem and, therefore, have seen no need to fold the skills.

 

[RigaMortus2]

Maybe this is a case where it might be a good idea to make a Read Lips feat which becomes an extention of the Spot skill. Or perhaps Sense Motive?